UN agency working to restart Hormuz evacuations after ship attack

The United Nations is actively working with several countries to resume the evacuation of hundreds of ships and thousands of seafarers currently stranded in the Strait of Hormuz. The effort was temporarily halted earlier this week after a container ship operated by Taiwan's Evergreen was attacked, prompting concerns for maritime safety in the critical waterway.

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in order to find these guarantees that were provided at the beginning, that vessels will not be targeted

Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the UN's International Maritime Organization (IMO), stated that the evacuation initiative had successfully facilitated the passage of approximately 115 vessels and around 2,500 seafarers before the pause. He is engaged in "vigilant" discussions with key parties, including Oman, the United States, and Iran, to secure renewed guarantees that ships will not be targeted.

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As soon as I get further confirmations of that, we're ready to re-initiate the process of evacuation

Dominguez expressed optimism that progress is being made, despite Iran reasserting its right to control shipping in the strait and warning neighbors against siding with the U.S. He indicated that the IMO is investigating the attack's motivations. While a timeframe for resumption remains uncertain, Dominguez noted that evacuating the remaining 500-plus vessels could take several weeks once operations restart. The IMO is also investigating the presence of approximately 80 explosive mines in the strait, which currently renders a key shipping lane unusable.

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I need to actually maintain the positive approach that progress is being made in the whole conflict and at least vessels are also safely sailing through